New Molecules
Technologies offer growers flexibility along with robust crop protection capabilities
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By Douglas J. Guth
Contributor
A strong pipeline of agricultural products and systems can provide powerful solutions for growers facing climate challenges, new regulatory requirements, crop system specific pests, and rising consumer expectations.
Advances from BASF, Bayer, Corteva, and Syngenta are now reaching the marketplace. Resulting in new options to safeguard crops from insects, disease, and other pressures that can negatively impact growers and consumers alike.
Chemical Crop Protection
BASF recently unveiled several weed management products that deliver innovative herbicide modes of action for various crops, said Padma Commuri, Director of Research and Development for BASF Agricultural Solutions North America.
A L-glufosinate ammonium (L-GA) herbicide formulation from BASF significantly reduces the amount of active ingredient farmers require, saving on operating costs while imparting more sustainable distribution and application.
Tirexor Active is a protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO)-inhibiting herbicide that controls weeds resistant to other PPO inhibitors. The fast-acting blend will be introduced to Argentinian soybean farmers next year, followed by the United States in 2025.
Luximo Active, utilized by wheat farmers in Great Britain in 2022, is billed by BASF as an all-purpose weed stopper.
Padma Commuri, Director of Research and Development for BASF Agricultural Solutions North America.
“With its novel mode of action, Luximo is a vital tool for controlling black-grass and Italian ryegrass, some of the most challenging and yield-robbing weeds,” said Commuri.
Among the BASF solutions to improve rice yield outcomes in the Asia-Pacific is a new insecticide mode of action (MoA) for rice hopper control. Kixor CS is an herbicide formulation of Kixor Active that users can apply from plant pre-emergence to early-post, providing application flexibility well into the growing season.
In the meantime, BASF is preparing release of Axalion Active, an MoA that safeguards harvests from a broad spectrum of piercing and sucking pests. After demonstrating market-leading control of diseases in cereal, soybean, and corn, BASF is also launching Revysol Active this year.
“The Revyona formulation maintains the outstanding performance and favorable regulatory profile of Revysol, ensuring reliable yield and quality,” Commuri said. “The formulation provides a high level of control of powdery mildew, scab, and many other diseases in tree fruits, grapes, and potatoes.”
More Revysol-based products will be offered in the next two years in the battle against rice diseases such as sheath blight and dirty panicles. Formulations will be available to farmers in the region under the product names Cevya, Mibelya, and Revyrize.
Seltima Plus is another disease management solution for rice that will be introduced regionally in the coming years, while the Provisia and Clearfield systems for direct seeded rice will enable growers to make better use of limited arable land.
Over-the-top control of weeds in soybean crops is the goal of a PPO herbicide from BASF. Powered by a new herbicide tolerance gene from Corteva, the product is part of a soybean trait pipeline collaboration expected to be available in the early 2030s. A corresponding herbicide tolerance trait for soybean is in development from BASF in conjunction with Corteva.
Syngenta’s TYMIRIUM technology, which received regulatory approval in Argentina last year, provides long-lasting protection against highly destructive nematodes and soil-borne diseases — particularly the Fusarium species. TYMIRIUM protects plant roots from attack, while defending above-ground plants against early-season diseases.
Meanwhile, the company’s PLINAZOLIN technology is a new MoA that utilizes targeted spray programs to control resistant pests. Introduced in Argentina, the innovation is harnessed to treat crops such as soybean, corn, rice, and a wide range of fruits and vegetables.
Other Syngenta technologies on the horizon include ADEPIDYN — a fungicide that protects against diseases such as Septoria and Fusarium head blight — and TINIVION, an insect control product targeting a variety of sucking pests.
Camilla Corsi, Global Head of Crop Protection Research Syngenta
“We strive to provide innovations to farmers that help them farm more productively and sustainably,” said Camilla Corsi, Syngenta’s Global Head of Crop Protection Research. “In 2023, we are making great strides in bringing cutting edge solutions — based on trademarked Syngenta active ingredients — to more markets around the world.”
Corteva is investing in advanced chemical opportunities like Reklemel active, a synthetic nematicide favorable to beneficial soil organisms, which is expected to launch later this year pending regulatory approvals. The company’s Adavelt active, a disease-controlling fungicide for various fruits and vegetables and other crops, began commercial sales this year in Canada, South Korea, and Australia.
Corteva also launched a corn insect control product called Vorceed Enlist and PowerCore Enlist Refuge Advanced in North America. Along with three modes of action for above-ground insect protection, the products also stave off below-ground infestations. Enlist chemistry in corn also offers farmers tolerance to four herbicides to help with weed resistance: glyphosate, glufosinate, 2,4-D choline and FOP.
Further pest control is available through Corteva’s Spinosyn insecticide family. In the fungicide market, Intreq is getting help from Adavelt. Zetigo PRM fungicide (with Adavelt) is seeing use this year during Canada’s lentil growing season.
Canola farmers in the U.S. and Canada can use Corteva’s Optimum GLY canola, an advanced herbicide-tolerant trait technology. The product is available for commercial planting through Corteva seed brands Pioneer and Brevant.
In 2024, Bayer is planning the release of Plenexos, a foliar, and soil-applied insecticide effective against aphids, white flies, and other sucking pests.
“Our new herbicide … provides excellent control of tough-to-control weeds and is expected to be a nice complement to glyphosate,” said Bob Reiter, Head of Research and Development for Bayer’s crop science division.
Biologicals
Bayer’s recently announced open innovation ecosystem is giving rise to new discoveries and product development alongside company partners, said Reiter. A collaboration with Ginkgo Biologicals is focused on, among other advancements, carbon sequestration in identifying biological products that provide a clear benefit to growers.
A partnership with Spanish company Kimitec will develop crop protection biologicals around natural plant extracts, an effort in line with European Green Deal parameters set to transform the European Union into a resource-efficient economy.
Bayer’s commercial biologicals include on-seed treatments as well as foliar-applied creations such as Serenade and Flipper.
Dr. Bob Reiter, Head of Research and Development, Crop Science for Bayer
“Synthetic crop protection products will continue to play an important role on the farm, but biologicals offer farmers benefits such as residue reduction, resistance management, and better plant health,” Reiter said.
“Products like Flipper fit nicely into a holistic integrated pest management approach for season-long pest control and are compatible with conventional crop chemistry.”
Syngenta is unveiling a suite of biologicals that boost crop health and protect plants from pests.
VIXERAN, a foliar-applied biostimulant, is already improving crop yields across Europe. Africa and the Middle East are the next stops for the product.
EXPLOYO is a sprayable, pheromone-based solution currently improving grape quality and yield in France. The pest-controlling technology will soon be rolled out in Spain, Portugal, Italy, and other wine-producing countries.
Crop water biostimulant TALETE, currently assisting growers in Mexico and the U.S., will be released in more countries later this year. European farmers can access TAEGRO, a bio-fungicide for fruits and vegetables.
For additional news in biostimulants, Corteva announced mid-year that Utrisha N, a microbe-based nitrogen fixation product, has been verified as USDA Process Verified Program (PVP) by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Seeds
In the field of biological seed treatment products, Syngenta has NUELLO, which naturally improves a plant’s ability to convert and utilize nitrogen available in the atmosphere.
“This lowers the environmental impact of farming while increasing crop yield, promoting plant and soil health, and offering farmers greater flexibility in their nitrogen management strategies,” said Corsi of Syngenta.
ATUVA is another alternative for growers seeking a hardy seed-applied product, Corsi adds. A high-quality member of Syngenta’s Rhizobium family of products, ATUVA targets nitrogen fixation for soybean, legume and cover crops.
BASF’s vegetable seeds business developed Sunions, the first tearless onion variety sold at supermarkets. The product is currently available in France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
Farmers in Europe have access to BASF vegetable seed varieties that provide resistance to aggressive and difficult to control viruses such as Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) and Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV).
Novel resistance to ToBRFV is available in large-scale commercial varieties in Spain and the Netherlands, along with Turkey, Morocco, Canada, and Mexico. The Tayson variety of processing tomato has dual resistance against TSWV, complementing the variety’s mostly complete trait package, noted Commuri from BASF.
Systems
In March, Bayer introduced its Preceon Smart Corn System, a game-changing method in the production of short stature corn hybrids. Combining a trio of innovations, the system offers protection against the elements as well as greater application flexibility, said Reiter.
Digital insights provided by the system’s FieldView technology give farmers data-driven recommendations to optimize crop performance, an outcome boosted by Bayer’s experienced team of dealers.
“When applied together, these complementary components help farmers better manage risk and increase opportunities to help protect their yield and profitability potential,” said Reiter. •